Engineers at the Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics in Germany have converted an industrial robot arm into a Formula 1 simulator.

The motion control algorithms of the "Robocoaster" six-axis industrial KUKA arm, which is usually sold to theme parks, have been modified to give the driver control of the robot motion. The robot has also been fit with a driver's cabin complete with a projected track and force-feedback steering wheel and pedals.

The new system allows for a much larger motion envelope than the Stewart platforms used in flight simulators and provides a more accurate simulation of the accelarations experienced in a real F1 car.

The goal of the project is to study how humans perceive motion. In addition, the researchers believe that their simulator can be adapted to recreate the experience of being in a plane, helicopter, ship, and other vehicles.